Soups and Salads
SALAD BOWL SOUP BOWL CROCK POTS
Freezing Tomatoes
Instructions
- Too many tomatoes from the garden. You have given a bunch away. Freeze them for later use.
- Wash tomatoes, dry, place in freezer bags and freeze.
- When you are ready to use, place in a colendar and run warm to hot water over in order to skin them. Or use them whole. Great for soups, stews, sauces and more.
New England Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 8-10 bacon strips divided
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 celery ribs chopped
- 1 leek finely chopped
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- 3-4 small potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 cup broth chicken or vegetable
- 1 bottle 8 ounces clam juice
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half-and-half divided
- 3 cans 6-1/2 ounces each of whole clams, chopped into chunky pieces, drained
- Bay leaf
- Chopped fresh chives or green onions for garnish
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain; set aside. Add butter to the drippings (you can spoon out some of the drippings if you don't want to ues that much); saute celery, leek, and onion until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, broth, clam juice, salt, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 cup half-and-half until smooth. Gradually stir into the soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.
- Stir in (drained) clams and remaining half-and-half; heat through (do not boil); turn down to low heat; add the bay leaf. Cook for additional 2-3 minutes on low heat. Add in 4 strips of crumbled bacon.
- Crumble the reserved 2 strips of bacon. Garnish chowder with crumbled bacon and fresh chopped chives.
Basic White Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup milk
- white or black ground pepper
Instructions
- Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; stir in flour. Cook for 3 minutes, but do not brown.
- Stir in milk and continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce begins to thicken. Season with pepper.
- Add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream for a richer sauce.
- Makes 1 cup.
White Bean and Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. fresh green beans or frozen whole beans
- 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 7.75 oz. can tuna solid white in water
- 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley
- 1 15.5 oz. can Great Northern beans
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 Green Pepper strips
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
Instructions
- Remove stems from green beans. Blanch for 2-3 minutes. Rinse under cold water and set aside.
- Mince parsley. In a medium bowl, combine tuna, Great Northern Beans, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, and parsley.
- In a separate small bowl, mix lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Drizzle a small amount over the green beans.
- Toss remaining dressing with the tuna mixture. Serve on a platter garnished with the green beans.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Great with French bread!
- Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Vegetarian Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups celery diced
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 1 28 oz. can tomatoes crushed
- 1/2 cup parsley minced
- 8 cups instant vegetable stock
- 2 tsp oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp basil
- 1 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp rosemary
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup cooked beans such as canned garbanzo and kidney or frozen limas
- 1/2 cup raw noodles such as whole wheat spinach, or artichoke - not too large
- 1/2 cup cooked barley
- 2 cups total combined sliced/diced fresh vegetables such as cabbage carrots, green pepper, mushrooms, potatoes, and zucchini, or frozen peas, corn, and green beans
Instructions
- Spread oil over bottom of large saucepan and sauté onion and celery until onion is translucent.
- Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, parsley, stock, and seasonings. Heat to just below boiling.
- Add cooked beans, raw noodles, and cooked barley. Simmer 20 minutes.
- In a separate pan, steam vegetables until tender using very little water and add all to soup.
- Stir to mix and simmer for 10 minutes or until heated through.
Spinach Salad w/ Hot Bacon Dressing
Ingredients
- l bag baby spinach washed and patted dry
- 8 large mushrooms cleaned and sliced
- 8 hard boiled eggs shelled and quartered
- 2 slices of sweet red onion
- l cup croutons
- Hot Bacon Dressing:
- 3 chopped onions
- 1-1/2 lbs diced raw bacon
- 2-1/2 cups cold water
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 3/4 cup vinegar
- 4 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- 3/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Divide spinach on to 4 plates. Top each salad with 2 sliced mushrooms, 2 hard boiled eggs, quartered, half a slice of sweet red onion, separated into rings, and 1/4 cup croutons.
- Drizzle with hot bacon dressing to taste and serve immediately.
- Brown bacon until well done; add onions. Saute until onions are translucent.
- Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, until somewhat thick.
- Makes almost 1 quart.
- Refrigerate leftover dressing and warm before using again.
Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. small red potatoes
- 3 hard boiled eggs diced
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle juice
- Salt and pepper
- seasoned salt
- 1 small red onion finely chopped
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 large green pepper - diced
- paprika
Instructions
- Peel and halve potatoes. Boil in large saucepan until tender.
- Cool and cut into 1/2" or smaller pieces. Fold in remaining ingredients all at once.
- Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Reserve a few slices of egg and pepper to use as garnish.
Lobster Salad Roll
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked Maine lobster meat chopped
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- finely chopped celery or onion optional
- 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix together. Chill.
- Can be used as a sandwich filling, or with a green salad
Lobster Bisque
Ingredients
- 1 Cup chicken stock
- 2 Slices of onion
- 2 Tablespoons of butter or margarine.
- 2 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 2 cups of milk
- 1/2 Teaspoon of salt
- 1 LB lobster meat
- 1/2 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- White Pepper
Instructions
- Place 1/4 cup of chicken stock and the onion in a small frying pan.
- Cook over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Melt the butter in a medium size pot over medium heat.
- Slowly whisk in the flour.
- Whisk until a creamy mixture is created.
- Gradually whisk in stock. Whisk in milk, salt, lobster meat, Worcestershire sauce and pepper.
- Heat until almost boiling.
Lobster
Green Pea Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups green peas cooked and chilled
- 1/2 cup shredded carrot
- 1/2 chopped red bell pepper
- 1 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup ranch-style dressing
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked cooled peas with the chopped and shredded vegetables. In a measuring cup or small bowl combine the dressing, mayonnaise, and seasonings. Mix and chill to let the flavors mingle.
Curried Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped cooked, chicken breast
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 3 tablespoons chopped scallions
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- Salt and ground pepper to taste
- A few drops of hot pepper sauce optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together all of the ingredients.
- Chill. Can be served in bulky rolls, bread, or as a green salad topping.
Cheddar Ale Soup
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup minced onion
- 1/3 cup grated carrots
- ¼ flour
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ pound grated cheddar cheese 2 cups
- 3 cans Chicken or Vegetable Broth
- 1¼ cups Half and Half
- 1 can Ale or Beer
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large, heavy saucepan. Add onion and carrot, cover and cook over low heat about 5 minutes.
- Blend in flour, mustard, and paprika. Stir in cheese and 1 can of chicken broth until cheese is melted.
- Add remaining ingredients; simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Makes 7 cups
Notes
Garnish bowls of soup with minced chives or chopped parsley.
Italian Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 6 tb olive oil
- 2 tb white wine vinegar
- 2 tb chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tb fresh lemon juice
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 ts dried basil; crumbled
- 1/4 ts dried crushed red pepper
- 1 pn dried oregano
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in small bowl and whisk to blend. Season to taste
- with salt and pepper.
- Cover and refrigerate.
White Wine Vinegar
Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs finely chopped shallot or onion
- 1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
- 1/4 cup red wine
- vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Combine the shallot, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small
- mixing bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Add the oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly.
- Makes 1 cup
Apple Soup with Curry
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 pound Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and diced
- 1 Tbs curry powder
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- sour cream optional
- chopped fresh chives optional
Instructions
- Melt butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion: sauté 4 minutes. Add apples: sauté until apples begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add curry and cook 15 seconds.
- Gradually stir in stock. Increase heat and simmer until apples are tender, about 10 minutes. Add cream and simmer 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper. Top bowls with dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with chives.
Warm German Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 to 1 ½ Lbs new potatoes
- ¼ pound bacon
- 1 Medium onion coarsely chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- ½ Cup Beef Stock
- ½ Cup cider vinegar
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Hard Boiled eggs optional garnish
Instructions
- Scrub potatoes and cook in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and, while hot, skin and cut into ¼ inch slices. You should have about 4 cups. Set aside
- Place bacon in a skillet and fry until almost crisp, add onion and celery, sauté until tender and transparent.
- Drain off all but one tablespoon of bacon fat; add sugar, salt & pepper to skillet stir until slightly browned. Add vinegar and stock and cook until mixture is slightly thickened.
- Pour hot dressing over potatoes; stir gently to blend. Add in the chopped fresh parsley. The potatoes should look glossy. Garnish with hard boiled egg slices, Serve Warm
Notes
Thanks to Chef Robert B. Graf of Alphorn Bistro, Inn at Danbury,